Good Question!

Why Not Include Illegal Immigrants in Health-Care Plan?

Heather Horn Sep 9, 2009

Barack Obama wants it to be very clear that illegal immigrants aren't a part of his health-care reform plan. But this morning Joe Weisenthal over at The Business Insider wondered if perhaps they ought to be. If "good healthcare, as it's typically described by reform advocates like the late Ted Kennedy, is a 'right' and not a privilege, ... then it's a matter of morality." In other words, illegal immigrants should be covered.

There's a practical argument, too. "We're regularly told," wrote Weisenthal, "that a major cost (to the public) is unnecessary, emergency-room care, the likes of which illegal immigrants will keep relying on under the new regime."

So here's the question:

"Does the anti-illegal immigrant stance make sense to you from either a philosophical or practical point of view?"

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at hhorn at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Heather Horn

Sources

Why Don't Illegal Immigrants Have a Right to Healthcare?, Joe Weisenthal, The Business Insider

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Topics: Health Care, Health Care Reform

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